Ford's Farley Demonstrates Qualities He Wants the Automaker to Exude
December 12, 2007

By Michelle Krebs

DEARBORN, Mich. – In his first appearance before the automotive press corps since joining Ford Motor Co., Jim Farley, the former Toyota exec now in charge of Ford’s global sales, marketing and communications, exuded warmth, humility, sincerity and authenticity.

Farley spun an emotional yarn about his grandfather, lunch bucket in hand, walking through the same doors of the historic Rouge complex, which served as the stage for Farley’s premier.

Describing himself often as Ford’s “communicator,” Farley demonstrated exactly the qualities he wants the Ford brand to exude when he unveils his new marketing plan in the next 90 days.

The press debut for the boyish-looking Farley took place within what was once Ford’s Dearborn Glass Works, designed by the famed architect Albert Kahn, opened in 1922 and part of the historic Rouge Complex. Farley’s grandfather was one of the early employees at the Rouge foundry when company founder Henry Ford ran the place; his grandfather later became a Lincoln dealer. The Rouge Complex, extremely innovative at the time, was conceived as building the car from start to finish, producing the components, like the steel and glass, to putting those pieces together.

“On my way here, I visualized my grandfather carrying his lunch bucket to work here, to do his job,” Farley, a Mustang enthusiast, told the assembled media. “I feel right at home at Ford.”

Today, the plant builds Ford’s all-important F-150 pickup truck, which, in reference to the Toyota Tundra pickup that Farley had a hand in launching, Farley said “we’d be happy to pick up the scraps” left by the F-150, America’s best-selling pickup truck for more than three decades.

Now Farley will be responsible for launching the 2009 F-150, which undergoes a major makeover for 2009. The former glass works where Farley met with the press is now Ford’s quality center for testing and training for the new F-150, which is assembled at the Rouge complex. The media got a sneak peek of the new truck before its public debut at the Detroit auto show in January.

Earlier in the day Tuesday, Farley met for the first time with his troops. He told the approximately 500 sales and marketing people at the Town Hall that they need to do a better job of telling Ford’s story. He told them to be “scrappy” and “courageous.”

Farley believes Americans have much goodwill for the Ford brand and Ford’s new message must be humble and authentic.

Often referring to this being a special time in the automaker’s history, Farley hints that Ford’s marketing plan will focus on Ford’s quality improvements, as evidenced by Consumer Reports latest rankings and on Ford as “the populist” brand” the brand that democratized the automobile with Henry Ford’s Model T.

Maybe Farley’s show to the press and his staff is a Hollywood act, but, so far, he’s made believers of many who have heard him. Truth will be told when Ford begins launching its new vehicles in 2008, critical models including the new F-150, the Flex crossover and new midsize sedan hybrids.

Photos by Ford
1 – Jim Farley
2 – The Rouge complex’s former Dearborn Glass Works is now a testing and training site for the 2009 Ford F-150, assembled in the complex.
3 – Jim Farley holds his first town hall meeting with the sales and marketing troops.

Posted by Michelle Krebs at 8:23 AM under Featured , Ford , Personalities | Comments (2) | digg this | Seed Newsvine